Knee injury forces Li Na out of U.S. Open

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Li Na competing at last year's U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows.

Story highlights

Li Na announces she won't be competing at Flushing Meadows

Chinese star's medical team says 32-year-old needs time to rest her knee

Li was a semifinalist at U.S. Open in 2013 and is Australian Open champion

Injured men's No. 2 Rafael Nadal may miss his title defense in New York

World No. 2 Li Na has pulled out of next month's U.S. Open with a knee injury.

Li, the reigning Australian Open champion and a semifinalist at Flushing Meadows last year, posted a message on her Facebook page saying she expects to return to action after the tennis season's fourth and final grand slam event.

"I wanted to let all of my great fans know that unfortunately I am going to have to withdraw from the upcoming WTA events in Montreal and Cincinnati, as well as the U.S. Open," Li's statement read.

"Since March, I have been struggling with my knee and it is just not where I need it to be in order to play at the highest level.

"My medical team has advised me that I need to take some time off to rest my knee so it heels. I look forward to getting back on the court this fall in Wuhan and Beijing."

Photos:Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown

Photos:Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown

Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown – And then there were two...Dominika Cibulkova will meet Li Na in the Australian Open.

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Photos:Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown

Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown – Li Na will head into the Australian Open final as the favorite after a comfortable 6-2 6-4 win over Canada's Eugenie Bouchard.

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Photos:Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown

Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown – With Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova all eliminated, fourth seed Li was the highest-ranked player left in the women's draw.

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Photos:Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown

Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown – Bouchard enjoyed a breakout tournament in Melbourne, reaching the semifinals in her first appearance in the Australian Open main draw.

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Photos:Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown

Li, Cibulkova set for Melbourne showdown – China's Li -- beaten by Azarenka in last year's Melbourne Park final -- will be looking to win her second grand slam title, adding to the French Open crown she clinched in 2011.

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After the two Chinese tournaments in late September, there is just one premier-level WTA Tour event before the season-ending championships in Singapore starting October 20. Li is third in the standings for the eight-woman showpiece.

Injury to her right knee forced Li to withdraw from April's Stuttgart Open, and the 32-year-old has struggled with her form since.

Li became China's first grand slam singles champion when she won the French Open in 2011 and clinched a second major title at Melbourne Park in January, when she beat Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets.

Thursday's announcement came 24 hours after Rafael Nadal revealed he is suffering from a wrist injury and may not be fit for the New York slam.

Nadal clinched his second U.S. Open title against Novak Djokovic last September but his title defense could be in peril after he was told by doctors that he needs at least two to three weeks off from competitive action.

The injury, sustained during practice, has denied the second-ranked Spaniard the chance to defend his titles at next week's Rogers Cup in Toronto and the Cincinnati Masters, which starts on August 10.